Hampers



H. GLEITSMAN Feb. 3, 1959 HAMPERS Filed Aug. 4, 1955 FIG. I

ATTORNEYS hamper.

United States atent C) HAMPERS Harold Gleitsman, New Rochelle, N. Y. Application August 4, 1955, Serial No. 526,526

3 Claims. (Cl. 312-280) This invention relates to clothes hampers.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved clothes hamper having a main receptacle for soiled clothes and linens and a compartment which may be used to contain or support articles of a different character segregated from the contents of the main compartment or receptacle. V

Another object of the present invention is the pIOVlSlOIl of a clothes hamper which has integrated therewith a separate article compartment, the hamper resembling a conventional clothes hamper and taking up no more space than a conventional hamper.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a clothes hamper having a main receptacle and a separate article compartment in which the capacity of the main receptacle is substantially unaffected by said compartment.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a clothes hamper having a main receptacle and a separate article shelf or compartment disposed on top of said main receptacle, access to said main receptacle being gained without interfering with the articles contained by the separate article shelf or compartment.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clothes hamper embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the hamper shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown a hamper having a bottom wall 12, and a peripheral side wall 13 including an upright rear wall 14 and an upright arcuate side wall 16. The upper ends of .the upright walls 14 and 16 define a top opening 18 in the The juncture of the bottom wall 12 and the rear and side walls 14 and 16 may be provided with a peripherally extending reinforcing member 20 which interconnects the lower marginal edges of the upstanding walls with the marginal edge of bottom wall 12. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, bottom wall 12 may have suitably integrated therewith a plurality of legs or supports 22 which are adapted to be positioned on any suitable supporting surface for hamper 10. The upright walls may be made of any conventional material or from a combination of conventional materials, for example from wicker work W and sheet metal M, the latter of which is shown herein covered by a plastic material P. In order to facilitate moving of the hamper from one position to another, hamper 10 is preferably provided with a pair of handles 24 suitably secured to the side walls.16 by securing elements 25.

In accordance with the present invention, top opening 18 of hamper 10 is permanently partially closed by a stationary top part 26. Top part 26 is preferably secured to rear wall 14 by means of a bracket 28 and is further secured to the side wall by means of side angle brackets 30. Preferably, although not necessarily, stationary top part 26 is formed of sheet metal and has a main part 31 which extends forwardly of the rear wall and an upwardly offset part 32 which terminates in a circular bead 34. Secured to the side and rear edges of the stationary top part 26 are angle members 36 which may be secured to stationary part 26 in any suitable manner as by welding. Connected to the upwardly extending portions 38 of angle members 36 and to the upwardly extending portion 37 of stationary top part 26 is a suitable railing 40 which railing defines a suitable shelf or compartment for a plurality of miscellaneous articles A. It will be obvious from a perusal of the drawing that the articles A are positionable on stationary part 26 separately from clothing and linen contained within the hamper.

A movable closure member 42 is provided for closing the remainder of top opening 18. In order to movably mount closure 42 toprovide for opening and closing the hamper, a pair of hinge members 44 are secured to the closure 42 as by rivets 46. The beads 48 on hinged members 44 are adapted to be fitted into notches 50 in the bead on the stationary top part 26 to register with bead 34 on stationary top part 26 and are pivotally connected to said stationary part as by a pin 52 which is substantially coextensive with the head 34 on top part 26 and extends therethro-ugh. It is to be noted that upwardly offset part 32 of stationary top part 26 is offset a distance substantially equal to the thickness of closure 42 so that when the closure is overlying opening 18 in hamper 10 the closure will be substantially flush with the upwardly offset part 32.

With the structure heretofore described for closing top opening 18 of hamper 10, it is obvious that access can be gained to the interior of the hamper without disturbing articles A positioned on stationary top part 26. To further the end of providing an auxiliary compartment for articles A which is not disturbed when the hamper is opened, railing 40 is proportioned to extend sufficiently far above stationary part 26 so that when closure 42 is pivoted to its open position, it engages the upper edge of railing 4t) and thereby is prevented from moving into the projected area of portion 31 of stationary top part 26 on which articles A are disposed. Accordingly, railing 46 which functions to prevent articles A from falling off stationary top part 26 further serves to prevent the closure from engaging the articles-A which engagement might cause them to be damaged or broken.

While I have herein shown and described one form of the present invention, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, which I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hamper having a bottom wall and a vertical peripheral wall which defines with said bottom wall a receptacle open at the top thereof; a closure for said top opening comprising a horizontal rear part mounted against movement at said top opening to cover a rear portion of the area of said top opening and a forward part mounted for movement at said top opening to provide a movable cover for the remaining area of said top opening, compartment defining means mounted by said rear part, said compartment defining means comprising an upstanding railing extending about said rear part to con- S 3 fine against accidental displacement therefrom of articles disposed on said rear part, said railing extending into the path of opening movement of said movable cover to limit said Opening movement to prevent said movable cover from contacting said articles during said opening movement thereof.

2. In a hamper having a bottom wall-and a vertical peripheral wall which defines with'said bottom wall a receptacle open at the top thereof; a closure for said top opening comprising a horizontal rear part mounted against movement at said top opening to cover areal portion of the area of said top opening and a forward part mounted for movement at said top opening to provide a movable cover for the remaining area of said top opening, compartment defining means mounted by said rear part, said compartment defining means comprising a railing upstanding from said rear part to confine against accidental displacement therefrom of articles disposed on said rear part, said rear part and said movable cover having interengageable portions which are operable in the path of opening movement of said movable cover to limit said opening movement to prevent said movable cover from displacing said articles from said rear part during said opening movement of said movable cover, said immovable closure part being mounted by said peripheral wall and said movable closure part being mounted for pivotal movement by said immovable closure part.

3. Ina hamper having a bottom wall and a vertical peripheral Wall which defines with said bottom wall a receptacle open at the top thereof; a closure for said top opening comprising a horizontal rear part mounted against movement at said top opening to cover a rear portion of the area of saidi-top opening and a forward part mounted for movement at said top opening to provide a movable cover for the remaining area of said top opening, compartment defining means mounted by said rear part, said compartment defining means comprising an upstanding railing extending about said rear part to confine against accidental displacement therefrom of articles disposed on said rear part, said railing extending into the path of opening movement of said movable cover to limit said opening movement to prevent said movable cover from contacting said articles during said opening movement thereof, said immovable closure part being mounted by said peripheral wall and having an upwardly offset forward portion which pivotally mounts said movable closure part, said railing extending above said offset portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 523,125 Lebach July 17, 1894 1,307,211 Newlon June 17, 1919 1,416,767 Vought May 23, 1922 1,888,649 "Anderson Nov. 22, 1932 2,607,653 Fuerst Aug. 19, 1952 2,732,274 Cotton Jan. 24, 1956 

